Can I Am Legend 2 Be Scrapped After The Slap? Looks Like It
The highly-anticipated sequel to the 2007 blockbuster movie I Am Legend may no longer see the light of day after the recent scandal involving actor Will Smith. So, could The Slap really cost us the I Am Legend sequel?
The decision to scrap I Am Legend 2, if it were ever to be taken, would undoubtedly disappoint fans of the original film, which grossed over $585 million worldwide and received some critical acclaim (albeit being criticized for straying away from the book it was based on).
Many were excited to see what new twists and turns the sequel would bring and how Smith's character, the last remaining human survivor in a post-apocalyptic world overrun by mutants, would continue to navigate the dangers of his environment.
There is no denying that the current climate of cancel culture has made studios extremely cautious about the talent they associate with.
Smith has already faced backlash in the past, and The Slap didn't quite work in his favor.
This is of course not to say that Smith's career is over, with Bad Boys 4 being recently announced, but it would be naïve to assume that Smith's association with other projects might not suffer from the fallout of this scandal.
One bad omen for the prospects of the I Am Legend sequel is that there has been absolutely no production or release updates since the Oscars incident.
Another crucial point to note about the possible I Am Legend sequel is that the original movie had two endings.
In the theatrical ending, which is canon, Smith's character, Neville, sacrifices himself by blowing up a bunch of mutants in a failed attempt to find a cure for the epidemic that wiped out most of humanity.
In the alternative ending, Neville lives, and so the movie leaves the door open for a possible sequel.
So, if and when the sequel will proceed to filming, the question remains open as to how Smith's character might end up in it.
Sequel's writer and producer Akiva Goldsman has confirmed the alternative ending of the first movie (which is actually much closer to plot of the book) is considered canon now.
But how the audiences will be let in on this remains a question, since the available version of the 2007 movie still features the theatrical ending.
Of course, it's important to note that nothing has been officially confirmed regarding the fate of I Am Legend 2, for better or worse.
It's possible that the studio may still move forward with the project despite the controversy surrounding Smith. But for now, the future of I Am Legend 2 hangs in the balance.